𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢 (𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐙! 𝐟𝐟)

𝙲𝙷. 𝟹 ☯︎︎ 𝚂𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚢

♊︎Year 5067, Month 4, Day 6, Time 10:12 pm♊︎

☯︎︎

Putting the keys into the lock of her apartment door, Kurenai pauses to look down at the duffel bag that feels awfully heavy with the manila folders. It isn't because the folders are heavy but more so because she knows this next assignment will be a burden to her. One that she was not looking forward to.

Sighing heavily, she turns the lock and opens the door to room 61E of the Crescent apartments. The one that she currently shares with none other than her current assigned partner; the sarcastic, quiet, and will-kill-you-in-your-sleep-while-looking-like-an-absolute-angel Kang Yeosang.

The moment she opens the door she feels like crumbling to the floor out of self-pity and tiredness. She didn't want to hear what Yeosang had to say and neither did she feel like staying awake any longer but sadly, the brunette found her before she could get to bed to contemplate her life choices.

"Kurenai! What happened? You suddenly disconnected from the line and my drone was rendered useless from the explosion— wait, you're bleeding!" He fusses over her and she swats him away, acting annoyed by his incessant nagging but secretly appreciating his worry for her.

It was rare when she was assigned to a partner, her character was always too cold and cynical for others so no one ever stayed long enough to break through her outer self besides Yeosang. They were both able to understand each other because of their similar quiet exteriors, but that's where the similarities end.

"My whole body is screaming right now," she complains, throwing her duffel bag on the couch in the apartment complex and throwing her wig off to the side along with her wig cap, deactivating the concealment bracelet to reveal the multiple tattoos that decorated her arms and back.

Even with these tattoos and piercings, Yeosang always was stunned by the elegance she carries herself with, a "casual elegance" as he calls it.

She runs a hand through her short black hair, heading into the kitchen to grab something to eat while completely disregarding her injuries.

"I bought Thai food. There are some pineapple fried rice and Phad Thai in the microwave. It should still be warm," Yeosang follows after her like a little child would follow its mother after telling her some sort of big accomplishment.

And just as he had said, thankfully, she found the food and took it out to serve herself some, ignoring her swelling wrist as she eats. The food feels yummier than ever after what she just went through and she savors every last bit of it, devouring what was left and getting disappointed when there is no more.

All the while she did that, Yeosang stood at the edge of the kitchen counter, watching her eat the food ravenously and wondering whether he should engage in conversation with her.

"So, um, where did you go while you were offline?" Kurenai throws her trash away and walks over to the couch, plopping down on it and regretting it the instant she applies pressure on her injured wrist. She cursed under breath, bringing the arms to her chest to cradle it while trying to swallow down the pain.

"Protocol as usual. Don't worry yourself over it too much, it was the same as it always is." She relays to him, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths, just grateful for having survived another hectic day. She can feel Yeosang shuffling around the room and then coming to sit in front of her, grabbing her hand gingerly with the first-aid kit at his side.

"There's more to it than just that. They always leave your earpiece on but it didn't turn on at all. Not even when your tracker came back online." He pauses briefly to take in the red marks of the rope-burns on her wrists and ankles. Then he applies a soothing creme for her injured wrist that he found in the kit and it instantly works to numb the pain for her. "This got really bad. Did you sprain it?"